As any frequent traveler knows, not all hotel room views are created equal. Sometimes you’re charmed with a view that makes you not want to leave the room, while other times you get a room with a view that makes you want to leave the room immediately. My stay last night fit in the latter category.
Swing & a miss on a Hilton Diamond upgrade
I spent last night at the Hilton Mexico City Airport. The hotel is located within Terminal 1, so you can’t beat the convenience of that (assuming you’re flying out of Terminal 1, which I wasn’t, but that’s a whole different story). The property recently underwent a full renovation, and is actually quite nice, all things considered.
As I arrived at the hotel, I admired the gorgeous views, as the check-in area looks out right over the apron and runway.
I don’t expect much as a Hilton Honors Diamond member when it comes to upgrades. However, as a Diamond member, you are are supposed to get a space available upgrade, at least in theory.
I saw online that some rooms had runway views, but I wasn’t about to pay an extra ~$40 for that, so I figured I’d try my luck at check-in. I explained to the associate that I really love airplanes, and politely asked if there’s any chance to get a room with a view of the runway, on account of my status.
The response was a simple “no.” “Okay, no problem, I like terminal views as well.” Well, those were famous last words, and now I know why the hotel has no description of the view for its base rooms.
What is my hotel room even looking at?
I got to my room, and first appreciated that the room was pretty nice (especially compared to what the rooms looked like pre-renovation).
Then I pulled back the curtains, expecting that I’d be looking at the interior of the terminal. Instead, my room looked at… I don’t even know what’s going on here? At first I mistook that HVAC duct thing for some sort of ancient ruins that had collapsed, but then I realized what it was.
What’s that dilapidated structure in the background? An abandoned airport Macaroni Grill? This is a genuine question, so if anyone has any insights, I’d be very grateful.
What is this part of the airport even, and… why is it part of the airport?
Upon arriving in the room, I decided to grab my laptop and head to the lobby to get some work done. I’m solar powered, so I struggle to stay awake without natural light (especially when I’m on a trip where I’m really exhausted). In this case, I couldn’t bring myself to keep the curtains open, so the lobby was the place to be. For that matter, I could enjoy the plane views from there!
Next time I’m just gonna shell out the extra dough for a runway view room. Or maybe I’ll just take the same strategy, and spend the money on food and drinks in the lobby lounge.
Bottom line
As any frequent hotel guest can attest to, sometimes you win the room view lottery, and sometimes you lose the room view lottery. I’ve stayed in hotel rooms with no windows, and I’ve stayed in hotel rooms just looking at a wall. However, I’ve never stayed in a hotel with a view quite like what I had at the Hilton Mexico City Airport.
What’s the worst hotel room view you’ve ever had?
